congratulation. it took me the best part of an hour to work up the balls to do that. mind you, i was alone, so you have to make allowances. they say nothing.
i'm keaty.
the q and a comes later. first of all, i think you'd better meet sal.
ah, the hunter gatherer returns. satisfied with a good day's killing amongst the fruits of the sea?
god has smiled on you.
he has made you sharp of eye and swift of limb. in other words, you catch a lot of fish, you'll be very popular around here.
dont forget to thank him, will you?
he'd appreciate that. anyway, first day's fishing, first day's catch, you lot are just about ready to join the community.
not yet baptized, my son, not yet baptized.
it hurts. ok? etienne nods. keaty swiftly cuts the simple symbol just below etienne's shoulder and smears blue powder into the cut. etienne winces. keaty finishes and hands the knife to etienne who heats the blade briefly in the fire before he turns to francoise. he kisses her arm before he cuts. francoise takes the knife. richard offers his arm. she grips it tightly. she hesitates. he looks into her eyes. she cuts. he grimaces. she works on, holding his arm.
wicketkeeper. first slip. second slip. gully. square leg. long leg. silly mid-off. cover point. at low tide, two sets of cricket stumps have been set up on the beach some twenty yards apart. the stumps and bats have been roughly hewn. at one end, sten stands with a bat, ready to defend his stumps. at the other end stands keaty, who is umpiring. behind them, the bowler warms up, holding a small rubber ball. among the ten fielders are etienne and francoise. richard, the second batsman, walks toward keaty, practicing with an air of exuberance.
we thank you lord, for the twin pillars of civilization, christianity and cricket, even when played by those of another faith., amen. ok, right arm over the wicket; first ball. the bowler runs up and bowls. sten hits the ball and it is fielded for no run at leaisurly pace by etienne. keaty and richard watch.
you do realize that killing a defenseless shark won't make any difference.
you and francoise, that's what.
that is why you killed it, isn't it? ducked one way then the other! all to impress her, i suppose. the second ball is bowled and fielded.
but you haven't got a chance in hell. i'm not saying you won't get a quick fumble in her knickers down the back of the longhouse but in the long run. third ball
no ball!
four runs! he turns back to richard.
richard, you are a novelty act. he is the main attraction.
i don't mean to bring you down. i just wouldn't want anyone to get hurt
one other thing.
he's better looking than you.
right arm over the wicket. one ball remaining. the ball is bowled. richard hits it in the air.
catch it! catch it! etienne catches it. keaty signals "out". richard walks away from the wicket, past keaty and the celebrating fielders, francoise among them, who have gathered around etienne.
i went two months ago.
we are gathered here today to pay our last respects to sten. i couldn't claim to know the bloke all that well but what i knew, i liked. he was a straightforward, easy to get along with, reliable sort of guy. he worked hard for the whole community - he even lost his life fishing for us. keaty is addressing the entire community beside the grave while earth is heaped on.
he made an effort to join in whatever was going on. for example, he played cricket with an aptitude and enthusiasm that belied his nordic origins, and i think we can see that as a symbolic ofhis place amongst us in a wider sense. anyway, he wasn't one for long speeches, and neither am i. may god take you soul, and you shall rest forever in peace mate. we'll miss you. keaty holds back a tear as he throws a flower in the grave. others throw flowers in. bugs hammers a wooden cross into the ground behind the grave.